Mr Pedley started a thread a while ago about a sport climbing renaissance and this is surely a continuation of that. I must say it is very exciting and motivating. I think there is a definite psychological factor when one hears that people are sending hard routes which spurs others to send harder as well.
Now, who is going to open the first 8c+ and 9a in SA?...

Further challenges to the strongmen (and ladies) of the North...
1) It's been a long time since I heard of a repeat of Satan's Temple (if ever) and Joy Division at Boven.
2) Tomahawk, 28, at Wigwam (next to Fernkloof) is awaiting a second ascent and there are 3 more lines that have been bolted there that are awaiting first ascents and will all be 29 or harder. As far as I know, all are open projects.
Get out there!

And a couple of projects (open as far as I know) at Chosspile...From the Guide on saclimb:

Quote:

Central 'cave' areaOPEN PROJECT [B,A]Was Sean Cremen's project but is now open, has the first bolt placed at the base. Starts 2m right of GOLLUM and angles slighlty right to join BULLY FOR BRONTASAURUS. Ends on same chains as BULLY.

BULLY FOR BRONTASAURUS 29 *** [10D,A]Scramble up to the big cave in the middle of the crag. Move left to where you will see the first bolt. Move out and left onto the face.First Ascent: Peter Lazarus

PIETER'S PROJECT [B,A]Pieter Martin's project started in 2001. Scrambles up as for BULLY FOR BRONTASAURUS and then right from the cave, through the roof on the first x bolts of Richard's old project and then up the bulge to the top.First Ascent: BB Pieter Martin

OPEN PROJECT [B,A]Starts from the same cave as BULLY heading right through the roofs. This will be fairly hard and the rusted bolts need to be replaced. Please use stainless steel Hilti anchors! This was Richard Lord's old project.

---------------------snip---------------------------------

FOSSIL FUEL 32 *** [B,A]Starts on some smooth coloured rock on the sloping slab about 5-6m left of GRIMSLADE. Some thin moves tending leftward and up to the roof and then through it. Not great for lowering off, take care. Some of the drop-in bolts also need replacing. Just before going for the big pinch there was a drilled pocket which was never used in any of the ascents and is now filled up to avoid cheating.First Ascent: 2000 Ralph Brucher (BB Peter Lazarus)

RALPH'S PROJECT [B,A]Ralph Brucher's project just right of FOSSIL FUEL started a few years back! This one is also into the thirties, probably harder than FOSSIL FUEL.

OPEN PROJECT [B,A]Project bolted by Pieter Martin just right of RALPH'S PROJECT, this is into the thirties!

COLIN CRABTREE'S PROJECT [B,A]The steep line between GRIMSLADE and PIETER MARTIN'S PROJECT, this will probably go in the thirties too. Started by Colin in 2002.

I believe it may be time to give some more route/access info about Wigwam to those who don't know...

You drive through the gate to the Wigwam Hotel which is about 1km from Fernkloof, sign in and tell the guard you are there to climb and park by the entrance to the hotel. Remember that you have to report to the Hotel reception and pay for a day pass (I think it is R20 per person).

You then walk back along the road and turn right as soon as the rough bush becomes golf course. Stick to the edge of the golf course until you get to the tee. From there you will see an obvious path that trends right and leads you straight into the kloof.

The routes are as follows if you walk in this way (ie starting from downstream):

Satans temple would be fantastic send - pretty sure its NEVER been repeated, although 29 in the book, its actually 31, I spoke to a friend of Sefan Glowacs the other day. I tried it half heartedly once, its brick hard and a beautiful line. Then a repeat of Lab rat would be a big tick, Bovens hardest route I reckon, jabberwocky is 8b (32) not 8b+, just about everyone who has done it has indicated such so lets keep it real. The really hard stuff is to be found in WigWam, all hell will break loose when the durbs and capies get in there! Its blank, short and steep; a power climbers dream crag.

I'm fine, AC, thanks for asking though. Got a bit of a fright, that's all.
I took about a 1m fall on the top pitch of Butterfly. The quickdraw, a Mamba in very good condition (hardly used) broke. Unfortunately, the next protection was a very long draw(the route traverses from the right through an arete onto a headwall). This ment that my fall was stopped by the rope going over a sharp jug and not the draw.
So, there I was in mid space with the rope over a sharp edge and looking in bad condition, having to decide whether it is better to be let down or to pull up. Who says sport climbing is less exciting than trad?
Gustav, who had only read of such events before, assured me that I do not need to go on the same diet as Carl K. He attributed the draw's failure to something called Cross Loading. I'm really not technically minded so it would be better if someone else tried to explain it.
There is a nice photo of Nureen on the route in the photo gallery. I fell from about a metere below where she is and the small feature on the lowest part of the arete is the feature that the rope got caught on.
All is good, though. 5 metres of rope, 1 draw and a slightly bruised rib were the only consequences of this rather dramatic event.

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